Ground-breaking medical research millions choose to reject

Dr. Leslie Lobel is an Israeli virologist conducting cutting edge research on a cure for Ebola -- a cure he believes is three to five years away. As reported in the Times of Israel:

Unlike many people, Dr. Leslie Lobel has not been shocked to hear about the current Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the largest ever recorded since the virus’s discovery in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Zaire). A Ben-Gurion University of the Negev virologist and a leader in the search for a cure for the devastating disease, Lobel had been predicting such an outbreak. (snip)

“This outbreak is really just a progression of what has been happening,” Lobel said of the epidemic, which has so far killed more than 1,600 people since March.

“It is a result of the fact that the world has fallen asleep when it comes to fighting infectious diseases. There has not been enough surveillance or development of expertise to control infectious diseases since the 1970s,” he said. (snip)

Lobel has been following 120 Ugandan Ebola survivors, half of them since he began his research program more than a decade ago. It took the doctor a number of years to gain the trust of the survivors, who come from a culture in which people are very suspicious of medical professionals and some even blame doctors for the spread of the disease.

Setting up effective logistics and social work systems have been crucial to Lobel’s team’s work in Uganda.

“It really took me a while to change my philosophy of how to work with people. I work with local scientists and have learned to be very respectful,” Lobel said. “I spend a lot of time with each Ebola survivor.”

Whereas in the developed world, survivors of terrible diseases are seen as blessed, Ugandan survivors of Ebola are viewed as cursed by their countrymen.

“They feel like pariahs. Many of them have lost their jobs because they survived the disease,” Lobel said.

Lobel is keeping a close eye on the current outbreak, which is spreading faster than previous ones. He believes this is because of its location in West Africa, where the imposition of quarantines that would cause the disease to burn itself out are not being successfully imposed.

“This one is so bad because in the past the outbreaks were limited to Central Africa, where there is very good security. The police and army in those countries can control the movement of people,” the doctor said.

Unfortunately, Lobel’s research has not yielded a vaccine in time to help the victims of the current Ebola epidemic. However, the doctor believes that he and his team are just three to five years away from arriving at what he calls a “cocktail” consisting of a vaccine and a therapeutic that can be deployed as soon as an outbreak is detected.

“It’s going to happen, but there is nothing around the corner yet,” he said.

Too bad Lobel’s eventual cure for Ebola might not be available in European countries. The EU has passed legislation to boycott some Israeli products.

Imagine a world without Israel. Then take action to make sure this magnificent nation that gives so much to the world, survives.

Dr. Leslie Lobel is an Israeli virologist conducting cutting edge research on a cure for Ebola -- a cure he believes is three to five years away. As reported in the Times of Israel:

Unlike many people, Dr. Leslie Lobel has not been shocked to hear about the current Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the largest ever recorded since the virus’s discovery in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Zaire). A Ben-Gurion University of the Negev virologist and a leader in the search for a cure for the devastating disease, Lobel had been predicting such an outbreak. (snip)

“This outbreak is really just a progression of what has been happening,” Lobel said of the epidemic, which has so far killed more than 1,600 people since March.

“It is a result of the fact that the world has fallen asleep when it comes to fighting infectious diseases. There has not been enough surveillance or development of expertise to control infectious diseases since the 1970s,” he said. (snip)

Lobel has been following 120 Ugandan Ebola survivors, half of them since he began his research program more than a decade ago. It took the doctor a number of years to gain the trust of the survivors, who come from a culture in which people are very suspicious of medical professionals and some even blame doctors for the spread of the disease.

Setting up effective logistics and social work systems have been crucial to Lobel’s team’s work in Uganda.

“It really took me a while to change my philosophy of how to work with people. I work with local scientists and have learned to be very respectful,” Lobel said. “I spend a lot of time with each Ebola survivor.”

Whereas in the developed world, survivors of terrible diseases are seen as blessed, Ugandan survivors of Ebola are viewed as cursed by their countrymen.

“They feel like pariahs. Many of them have lost their jobs because they survived the disease,” Lobel said.

Lobel is keeping a close eye on the current outbreak, which is spreading faster than previous ones. He believes this is because of its location in West Africa, where the imposition of quarantines that would cause the disease to burn itself out are not being successfully imposed.

“This one is so bad because in the past the outbreaks were limited to Central Africa, where there is very good security. The police and army in those countries can control the movement of people,” the doctor said.

Unfortunately, Lobel’s research has not yielded a vaccine in time to help the victims of the current Ebola epidemic. However, the doctor believes that he and his team are just three to five years away from arriving at what he calls a “cocktail” consisting of a vaccine and a therapeutic that can be deployed as soon as an outbreak is detected.

“It’s going to happen, but there is nothing around the corner yet,” he said.

Too bad Lobel’s eventual cure for Ebola might not be available in European countries. The EU has passed legislation to boycott some Israeli products.

Imagine a world without Israel. Then take action to make sure this magnificent nation that gives so much to the world, survives.